Device for opening sealed packages



Nov. l8, 1,516,455

E. PANZA DEVICE FOR OPENING SEALED PACKAGES Filed Nov. 1923 INVENTOR. 6W W A TTORNE Y.

. x lllllll/ ///A/ Patented Nov. 18, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- EUGENE PLNZL, OF SPRINGFIELD,MASSACHUSETTS.

DEVICE FOR OPENING SEALED PACKAGES.

Application filed November 28, 1923. Serial No. 677,382.

L Opening Sealed Packages, of, which the following is a specification.This invention relates to improvements in receptacle, and particularlyin receptacles.

' for containing cigarettes.

An object of the invention is to provide and so construct the receptaclein order that it may be readily opened to permit'a cigarette to beremoved, and, withoutdestroying the contents of the package, or, leavingthe receptacle in an unsightly appearance.

Heretofore, it has been, and is now, a common expedient for the user toopen a package of cigarettes by tearing or breaking off the upper edgeof the, package with his fingers. This operation not only destroys theappearance of the package after it is opened, but, oftentimes the endsof the cigarettes are broken which permits a portion of the filler orcontents of the cigarette to fallout.

My resent invention is designed to overcome t ese obvious objections andto so conp struct the package or wrap er of the package so that it maybe rea 'ly opened and without breaking the contents.-

In general, my invention consists in securing to the wrapper portion ofthe package a thin strip of ribbon whereby when one en of the ribbon ispulled the wrapper may be severed, as it were, or torn alonga hne, or

" package and plane, that corresponds with one that is parallel to theclosed or upper end of the a short distance below the ends of thecigarettes. be employed for securing the strip of ribbon to the paperand tinfoil parts which make up the wrapper, as by means of a toothedwheel or implement, as will be fully described in the s ecificationand'specifically set forth in the c aims. I

Referring briefly to the drawings: i Fig. 1 is a perspective of apackage of cigarettes showing the invention a plied thereto, and withthe package sealed m the usual manner.- A

Fig. 2 is a perspective showing the pack- .strands of the ribbon into taper 1 and also into the tinfoil 2 as indiproduced by forcing "0rsubstantiall Any suitable means may be understood that the the the

1 designates the inner ayer orsheet of specially prepared paper which isplaced against the 01 arettes in the package, 2 a layer of tin foilwhich is placed against the inner lever of paper, and 3 is the usualouter lithographical wrapper which bears the name of the manufacturer;the meeting or overlappingiedges of this outer wrapper is indicated at4. The cigarettes within the packages are indicated at 5, and 6designates a narrow strip ofv ribbon that is secured to the layers 1 and2 of paper and tinfoil. Fig. 3 indicates these layers as developed orspread out in a horizontal plane. The strip of thin narrow ribbon 6- issecured to the layers 1 and 2 by passing a suitable tool over andlengthwise of the ribbon, and, at the same time applying suflicientpressure for the purpose of forcin the threads or e inner layer'of catedin Fig. 4. The creases or indentations imbedding the strands of theribbon into t e layers of paper and tinfoil are indicated in Fig. 4 at8. This operation serves to attach the d s'tri of ribbon to the layer ofpaper and tin oil with the result. that when the free end 6.'- ofthe'ribbon is pulled, as shown in Fig. 1 the upper end portion of thelayer of paper 1 and tinfoil 2 will be severed or torn ofi'- leaving theupper ends of the cigarettes 5 exposed, as shown, whereby the'userremove them without in any may readily the wrapper of the cigarettes wayinjurin or spilling t ration is substantially at the upper edge of theouter wrapper 3; The upper edges'of the inner paper wrapper 1 an tinfoil2 are eir tobacco contents. It is to line or plane of sepafolded ontothe upper ends of the cigarettes is indicated at 16. 'Thisis severedwhenthe free end of the strip of in the usual manner as indicated b thedotted lines 9 in Fig. 1. The usua internal revenue stamp ribbon ispulled as shown. If desired, only at 11 which may be folded back again,a a cigarette has been removed as readily understood. The free end 6 ofthe strip of ribbon is preferably located adjacent the edge of therevenue stamp and the adjacent edges 4 of the outer wrapper 3 forafiording convenience in assembling and for mutilatina the stamp whenstrip is pulled as shown in ig. 2.

The end of the stri of ribbon 6 is provided with a tag 12 w ich presentsa finished up arance, and, if desired, may be used for a vertisingpurposes. By reason 'of the fact that the threads or strands of theribbon are intimately associated or connected with the paper and tinfoilit will therefore be seen that when the strip of ribbon is pulled theinner layer of paper and the layer of tinfoil will be completely severedor tornofi so as to leave a smooth upper edge;

It will therefore be seen from this de-.

scription that I have provided a very convement and inexpensiveconstruction for opening a package of cigarettes or the like and withoutin any way destroyingthe appearance of the package or its contents. Itis to be understood that my improvement of opening a sealed package isnot limited to packages containing cigarettes but may, .of course, beemploye containin other commodities or What claim is: j

1. A sealed package provided with lay ers of wrapping material, meansfor removing the layers comprising a strip of material having strands,the strands being embedded into the said layers, whereby when the stripis pulled the layers will be torn or severed by the strip.

2. A sealed package having a plurality articles.

of layersofwrapping material, a strip of.

fibrous material intimately and permanentfor opening packages ingpressure to the stri and the layers whereby when the strip is ulled thelayers will be severed or torn ong the' line of the strip.

3. A sealed package comprising a pluralityof layers of wrappingmaterial, means to permit the layers along a line, or plane parallelwith one end of the package to be separated comprising a strip offibrous material which is embedded into the layers whereby when thestrip is ulled the layers will be torn or separate a ong the line of thestrip, as descr1bed,.

4. A device for removing one end of a material that is embedded into all0 layers by pressure, whereby when the strip is pulled the layers will.be separated along the line of the strip.

' 5. .A device for removing the wrapping material of a, package having alayer of paper and a layer of tinfoiLthereomwhich consists inpermanently attaching astrip of flat fibrous material as a ribbon, tothe layer of paper and tinfoil by applying pressure to the said stripwhereby the fibres of the strip are embedded or forced into the layers.v v

6. A device for removing a layer of paper and a layer of tinfoil from apackage WlllCh consists in permanently attachinga strip of fibrousmaterial to the layers by plac-' ing the strip on the'layers andapplying pressure to the. strip, whereby, when thestrip ispulled thesaid layers are separated paper, a layer of tinfoil andv a strip ofpackage having a plurality of layers of wrapping material, comprising astrifp of the fibrous material embedded into the two layers forthepurpose of removing a portion is ulled.

ofthe layers when the stri ANZA.

- EUGE

